Michael’s live up to the billing in three-try quarter-final
defeat of Clongowes
The Ailesbury Road school impressed as they booked their place
in the last four at Donnybrook.
Feb 21st 2018,

Ryan Baird celebrates his try.
Clongowes Wood College 13
St Michael’s College 22
Ryan Bailey reports from Donnybrook
THE WORD ON the street is that St Michael’s are this season’s
frontrunners, and certainly there is growing evidence to suggest
the Ailesbury Road school are primed to end their six-year wait to
reign supreme at Senior Cup level again. These remain relatively
early days in the competition, and there are still two further hurdles for Emmet MacMahon’s supremely talented side to overcome,
but on the basis of this powerful performance, they have the
required credentials to go all the way. This was the highest-quality quarter-final by some distance, and Clongowes deserve credit
for that, but try as they might, it is nearly impossible to contend
with Michael’s when they flex their considerable muscle. Perhaps
most impressive was the concentration and application showed by
Michael’s who, having surged into a 22-6 lead, then stood resolutely firm to subdue Clongowes’ desperate attempts to get back
into contest. With ball in hand, Michael’s are equally formidable
as they contain willing runners all over the park and in captain
David Ryan, second row Ryan Baird and flanker Scott Penny
have three of the most exciting players in the competition. Baird
showed why he is so highly-rated with a brilliantly finished try
in the far corner to get his side up and running, and then hooker
Lee Barron and Dan O’Donovan added further scores before and
after the interval. Clongowes, to their credit, displayed admirable
resolve to work their way back into the game through number

gpfoto 40

eight Matthew Martin but left themselves with too much to do, as
Michael’s closed the game out to book their place in the last four,
where they will face holders Belvedere College.
Dan O’Donovan is tackled by David Wilkinson Dan O’Donovan
had a big game for Michael’s. From the outset, Michael’s stamped
their authority on proceedings and the breakthrough score was
started and finished by the second rows. Matthew Healy collected
a kick over the top, drew in the defender and set Andrew Smith
galloping away down this near side. The winger beat seven wouldbe tacklers, including the same player twice as he danced inside
and out, before Michael’s recycled right. number eight O’Donovan maintained the forward momentum with a powerful carry
and when he linked again with the supporting Baird, last season’s
Leinster schools captain showed athleticism and dexterity to still
ground after being tackled just short. If Baird’s try was evidence
of the devastating threat Michael’s carry from broken play, their
second was equally impressive in the manner the forwards and
backs combined to retain possession and then pick and drive
around the fringes. Hooker Barron was the man to reap the reward after sniping over from close range. Try number three wasn’t
long in arriving, as Michael’s moved through the gears. Quick ball
allowed scrum-half Rob Gilsenan to move it wide through Ryan
and then Chris Cosgrave, with Smith surging clear down the left
and although he was halted just short, Michael’s kept it alive and
O’Donovan wasn’t going to be stopped. Attempting to progress
to the semi-finals for the fifth successive year, Clongowes weren’t
going to lie down and gave themselves hope of an unlikely comeback after a period of sustained, and controlled, possession yielded
seven points. While Michael’s showed all their defensive qualities, with quick line speed and a tireless work ethic, to shut the
door time and time again, the wall of skyblue shirts was breached
when John Maher spotted a gap and Martin took full advantage
to give the Kildare school a lifeline. St. Michael’s huddle before
the game Michael’s are through to the semi-finals. But through
their dynamic pack, Michael’s took the sting out of the game and
in the end comfortably got across the line even allowing for Ryan’s
missed penalty attempt in the final exchanges. It mattered little.
Michael’s surge into the business end, where they’ll take some
stopping. It could just be their year.
Clongowes scorers:Tries: Matthew Martin
Penalties: Ben O’Shea [2 from 2]
Conversions: Ben O’Shea [1 from 1]St Michael’s scorers:
Tries: Ryan Baird, Lee Barron, Dan O’Donovan.
Penalties: David Ryan [1 from 2]
Conversions: David Ryan [2 from 3]

The Clongowes pressure defence was a problem for St Michaels
that had to be solved, forcing an early scrum. The Clongowes side
were patient too in how they moved menacingly into position
through their rumbling forwards, centre Ben O’Shea’s grubber
bouncing off St Michael’s, David Ryan.
St Michael’s were unable to break away from a defensive scrum
and a ruck infringement allowed O’Shea to make it 3-0 in the sixth
minute. They looked like adding to that when scrum-half Conrad
Daly and full-back Charlie Gallen worked the short side.
St Michael’s were slower into their gears, left wing Andrew Smith
eventually cutting loose for Ryan Baird to show his speed into the
right corner for 5-3 in the 10th minute.The Clane school looked
to answer straight away until a big carry from number eight Dan
O’Donovan and stunning kick from Jay Barron kept Clongowes
pinned back.The sky blues next attack began with a turnover by
Baird’s hard hit and concluded with hooker Lee Barron’s drive to
the line, converted by David Ryan for 12-3 in the 21st minute.
Clongowes had to stay in the game and they found a way from

O’Shea’s second penalty in the 25th minute. They were back for
more from Daly’s snipe and direct running which was undone by
prop Jack Boyle poaching of the egg just before the break.
St Michael’s came out with intent in the second half, moving the
ball sweetly from a scrum on halfway for Ryan, Chris Cosgrave
and Smith to combine, to get within driving distance for O’Donovan to dive in over the try line. Ryan’s extras taking it out to 19-6
in the 37th minute. As if that wasn’t enough, lock Matthew Healy
tore away from the restart for 40 metres before Clongowes flanker
John Durkan stepped in to rescue the ball at the ruck.
The alert reaction of blindside Jody Booth completed a turnover
for St Michael’s in the lead up to Ryan striking for three from the
right in the 42nd minute.
Clongowes were denied a try when O’Shea was judged to be ahead
of out-half David Wikinson’s stabbed kick. They weren’t disheartened and came in lightning fashion for O’Shea’s inside ball, to put
John Maher through a hole and for number eight Matthew Martin
to finish the move, O’Shea’s conversion reducing it to 22-13 in the
56th minute.
Clongowes continued to work hard but St Michael’s were safe as
long as they had the two-score cushion and they maintained it
right to the end.
At Donnybrook – St Michael’s College 22 (R Baird, L Barron, D
O’Donovan try each; D Ryan pen, 2 cons); Clongowes Wood College 13 (M Martin try; B O’Shea 2 pens, con)
St Michael’s: Chris Cosgrave; Mark O’Brien, David Ryan (capt),
Jay Barron, Andrew Smith; David Moran, Rob Gilsenan; Jack
Boyle, Lee Barron, Chris Hennessy, Matthew Healy, Ryan Baird,
Jody Booth, Scott Penny, Dan O’Donovan.
Replacements: Fionn Finlay for Hennessy 42 mins; John Fish for
Healy 65 mins; Des McCarthy for Gilsenan 67 mins.
Clongowes Wood: Charles Gallen; John Maher, Joe Carroll, Ben
O’Shea, Connell Kennelly; David Wilkinson, Conrad Daly; Conor
Duff, Bobby Sheehan, Ryan McMahon, Dan Beggs, Tom Coghlan,
Anthony Ryan (capt), John Durkan, Matthew Martin.
Replacements: Rossa O’Kane for Duff 23 mins; Gavin Dowling
for Beggs 51 mins; Max Dowling for Wilkinson 62 mins; Calum
Dowling for Sheehan, Sean Donovan for Gallen both 65 mins;
Michael Colivet for Coghlan 67 mins.
CLONGOWES COME OUT ON TOP IN EIGHT-TRY SENIOR
CUP THRILLER
February 2, 2018

Clongowes Wood College advanced to the quarter-finals of the
Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup with a victory over
The King’s Hospital at Clontarf FC on Thursday.
The two teams combined to produce an eight-try thriller, with
Clongowes captain Anthony Ryan getting the first, converted by
Ben O’Shea, inside the opening 10 minutes. Hooker Bobby Sheehan got Clongowes’ second, with the conversion off target to leave
the score at 12-0 to the Kildare school. KH struck back with a try
from Craig Adams, with an excellent Edward Mahood touchline
conversion reducing the margin to five. Clongowes would have
the final word before the half-time break, however, with outside
centre Joe Carroll finishing a well-worked try. The conversion
from O’Shea leaving the score at 19-7 as the sides headed back to
the dressing rooms. The first score in the second half would be
crucial and it was Clongowes who got it.
Rossa O’Kane ran it in to extend the margin to 17, leaving King’s
Hos’ with a mountain to climb.
To their credit, they never gave up and took a big chunk off that
17-point deficit with their second try through hooker Perry.
Charles Gallen got Clongowes’ fifth to make sure of the win, but
a valiant King’s Hospital side got the game’s final score through
Matthew Mahood to bring a thrilling first-round tie to a close.

Rossa O’Kane of Clongowes Wood College on his way to scoring
a second half try
February 1 2018

Clongowes Wood College withstood a spirited display from The
King’s Hospital at Castle Avenue to advance from the opening
round of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup.
With Joe Carroll in fine form, Clongowes were in the driving seat
at the midway point in the contest. King’s Hospital persevered
with their challenge after the restart, but it was the Clane school
who ultimately progressed to the last-eight.
Clongowes were overwhelming favourites in the build-up to
this encounter, and they opened the scoring with a well-worked
try from Anthony Ryan. A Bobby Sheehan five-pointer created
further daylight, but King’s Hospital finally opened their account
with a converted Craig Adams score.
This only offered them a temporary respite, though, as Carroll
subsequently touched down to give Clongowes a commanding
19-7 interval lead. The eight-time champions looked set for a
comfortable victory when Rossa O’Kane added his name to the
scoresheet at the start of the second half.